&nbspReflection: Checks for Understanding Genre: Do you know the difference between Narrative and Informational text? - Section 2: Mini-Lesson

This particular Guide has several different components so it is important to model it step by step with students with a familiar book like a Read Aloud chapter book. First, they have to fill out basic info like name, class #, date, and title of book. Next they have to determine if their text is Narrative or Informational. If they circle Informational, students notice that Informational text is also known as Non-Fiction or Expository text. They simply need to recognize that but they would not have to do anything other than that in that section. If they circle Narrative, they have to dig deeper to decide if the Narrative text is Realistic Fiction or Fantasy and circle accordingly. Either way, the final and perhaps most important step is the final box, “How do you know?” Providing evidence is a powerful way for students to explain their thinking and show that they have a solid understanding of the concept. Some students might turn their Guide in without having all parts completed, which I would note on their paper and return it to them to complete for a grade/feedback.

Genre Guide Components

Checks for Understanding: Genre Guide Components

Genre: Do you know the difference between Narrative and Informational text?

Genre: Do you know the difference between Narrative and Informational text?

Big Idea:
Understanding that characters, settings, and events in a story either could happen in real life or could never happen in a million years!

I like to spend a sufficient amount of time on each strategy to allow for an introduction, modeling, scaffolding, independent practice, assessment, and reflection. Therefore, I spend approximately 1 week on each strategy and follow a similar instructional routine. This is day 4 of Genre Week – Assessment. In this lesson, students will demonstrate their understanding of Genre by turning in a Genre Guide that will be turned in and used as a grade.

Connection: I always start by connecting today’s lesson to something kids have previously learned so that it triggers their schema and background knowledge. Since this is the fourth day they are learning about Genre, I make a connection to the independent practice lesson we did yesterday. I remind them that yesterday, they applied the Genre strategy to their own books. And now that they’ve practiced Genre in different ways throughout the week, it is time to prove that they understand it.

Teaching Point: This is when I tell kids explicitly what we will be working on. I say that today they will be filling out a Genre Guide (see resource) while they are reading a book of their choice. They will turn in the Guide as an assessment of their understanding. I will use those to provide feedback to the students and parents. The Guides also help me put together flexible strategy groups for small group instruction.

Active Engagement: This is where students get to try out the strategy that I just taught them. I place a copy of the Guide on the projector and show students our current Read Aloud book. I fill in the name, date, and title of the book in the appropriate spots. I ask students to think about what the main Genre is; does this book tell a story (narrative) or does it teach us factual information (informational)? After a minute or two of thinking time, I tell them to turn and talk to their partner to share their ideas with evidence. I give the students a few minutes then call on some to share. I circle the correct choice, which in this case is Narrative. Since I circled Narrative on the Guide, it then prompts me to decide if the story is Realistic Fiction or Fantasy. After a brief discussion, I circle the answer we agree on. I also include evidence in the section that asks, “How do you know?”

Link to Ongoing Work: During this portion of the mini-lesson, I give the students a task that they will focus on during Independent Reading time. I tell them that during Independent Reading, their job is to complete their own Genre Guide with their own book. I remind them that this will be turned in for a grade/feedback at the end of Independent Reading time so it should be their best quality work. When they finish their task, they should continue reading books from their browsing box. After asking if there are any questions, I send them off for Prep Time.

Resources (1)

Resources

Transition Time: Every day after the mini-lesson, students get 5 minutes of Prep Time to choose new books (if needed), find a comfy spot, use the bathroom, and anything else they might need to do to prepare for 40 minutes of uninterrupted Independent Reading.

Guided Practice: Today, I will be conferencing with students right at their comfy spots and helping some with their Guide. This is also when I could pull students for assessments, one-on-one reading, strategy groups, or guided reading groups.

At the end of 40 minutes, I remind students that their job during reading time was to complete their Guide. They should make sure all parts are filled and place them in the Finished Basket. When grading, I am looking first for an understanding of the difference between narrative and informational text. Then, within narrative text, I am looking to see if students can determine whether their text is realistic fiction or fantasy. I then tell the class that we will wrap up our Genre work tomorrow. Reader’s Workshop has come to an end so students put their browsing boxes away and make sure the library is neat and organized.

Big Idea:
Students explore and investigate naturally - as people. This literacy/science lesson is designed to help them notice the personality traits that they possess, and will need to continue to strengthen, as they become successful scientists.